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Young Americans can’t sign their names properly – NYT US election official reveals surprising problem with young voters
(about 8 hours later)
A number of mail-in-ballots sent in during the election reportedly had to be rejected because of signature-matching problems ‘Zoomers’ aren’t used to writing their names by hand and it’s presenting a major headache
Young voters in the US reportedly had trouble signing their names on ballots during this week’s presidential election, the New York Times reported ahead of Tuesday’s vote, which was eventually won by Donald Trump. n Nevada, thousands of US election mail-in ballots face rejection due to unmatched signatures, highlighting a surprising challenge, the Washington Post reported on Thursday.
According to Nevada Secretary of State Francisco Aguilar, a number of mail-in-ballots in the battleground state’s most populous counties had to be rejected because of signature-matching problems. Many young voters lack a consistent pen-to-paper signature. Nevada Secretary of State Francisco Aguilar told he newspaper. He says that 'Zoomers,' used to signing mostly on digital screens, don’t have recognizable hand writing.
He explained that the most frequent reason for mail-in ballot rejections was that the signatures on envelopes did not match the signatures in the voter registration database, noting that this problem was particularly common among younger voters. The issue is amplified in a battleground state like Nevada, where close races could hinge on validated ballots.
On Monday evening, the Nevada secretary of state’s office reported that more than 18,000 mail-in ballots had been rejected in Clark County, home to the state’s most populous city of Las Vegas, and more than 1,800 needed fixing in Washoe County. Following automatic registration, digital signatures — often created on screens — are now linked to many voters’ profiles, making mismatches more likely. Aguilar points out that younger people especially “may not have a set signature developed yet,” leading to an increase in rejected ballots that need to be verified, or “cured,” before the November 12 counting deadline.
“It’s mostly the fact that young people don’t have signatures these days,” Aguilar told the New York Times. “And when they did register to vote through the automatic voter registration process, they signed a digital pad at DMV, and that became their license signature,” he added, noting that for many Nevadans, signing their names on digital screens may look different than their pen-to-paper signatures. Election activist Debra Cleaver, founder of VoteAmerica, argues that this reliance on signatures is outdated, suggesting alternatives like using birth dates and partial social security numbers as unique identifiers.
In a separate statement, Aguilar also claimed that signature issues were found not only in ballots sent in by young voters, but also by older citizens who “may sign their names differently throughout the course of their lives” and people who have recently gotten married and haven’t yet updated their name on their voter registration. “It’s a problem at scale,” she warns, noting that California has seen over 3% of ballots rejected due to handwriting mismatches, potentially impacting outcomes in tight races.
Aguilar stated that Nevada voters whose ballots had been rejected due to a signature issue have until November 12 to cure their ballots, meaning that announcement of the final results from the battleground state could still be a long way off. The process, Cleaver suggests, is increasingly impractical. “We file our taxes with electronic signatures. When you buy a house in the United States, you also use an electronic signature,” she explains. “This is a vestige of something antiquated.”
The need to cure ballots isn’t just affecting Zoomers. Aguilar adds that older voters and recently married voters, who might sign differently over time, face similar challenges. In response, Nevada officials are using text alerts, a method more likely to reach today's youth. 
As of Thursday, Nevada has counted an estimated 94% of its ballots, with Donald Trump projected to win the state’s six electoral votes with 51% compared to Kamala Harris’ 47.2%.As of Thursday, Nevada has counted an estimated 94% of its ballots, with Donald Trump projected to win the state’s six electoral votes with 51% compared to Kamala Harris’ 47.2%.
Both US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have already reportedly called Trump to concede the election as the Republican candidate has secured at least 292 electoral college votes, compared to 224 for Harris. It takes 270 to win the White House.Both US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have already reportedly called Trump to concede the election as the Republican candidate has secured at least 292 electoral college votes, compared to 224 for Harris. It takes 270 to win the White House.